Box Score                  
                  UNION, NJ – The Vassar College field hockey team showed some spirit Tuesday evening, defending strong with senior keeper Maggie Brelis (Cambridge, MA/BB&N) having a big night but a late strike by Kean University lifted the Cougars past VC 1-0 in non-conference play.

                  The opening period saw extended zonetime for each team, but the Brewers (2-2) had maybe the best flurry of the early going. After a penalty corner, VC took four consecutive shots, two stopped by Cougar keeper Katie DeCarlo and two knocked out by KU defender Diane Boccella, denying Enya Cunningham (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) of her first goal of the year.

                  The hosts would control the rest of the half, taking the final 13 attempts on goal of the opening stanza. The Cougars (5-0) looked to have taken the lead in the waning minutes of the first, but Brelis made two incredible stops on point-blank shots to keep the game scoreless.

                  After the intermission, Kean would continue to pepper Brelis with shots, but the senior netminder made five saves in the first 10 minutes of the second half. VC would get its best chance in the closing session on a penalty corner 48:10 into the game, but the Brewers could not convert.

                  Kean would get the only goal of the game with just over 13 minutes to play in the game, as Laura Cheatham snuck behind Brelis and tapped in an attempt from Julie Knodt off of a corner for the eventual game-winner. VC would have a few late surges downfield, but could not get an attempt towards goal.

                  Brelis played all 70 minutes for the first time this season for the Brewers, as she made 10 saves while allowing only the one goal. She was also quick to cut off crosses, and made good clearances all night.

                  Cunningham was credited with a defensive save and two shots for the Brewers, while Bianca Zarrella (Leominster, MA/Leominster) added a pair of shot attempts for VC. The Vassar backline of Catherine Fiore (Essex Falls, NJ/West Essex), Hilary McDonnell (Blue Bell, PA/The Springside School) and Cunningham was stellar, thwarting multiple KU attacks on the evening.

                  The Cougars outshot Vassar on the contest, 28-5, while also earning 19 of the game's 23 penalty corners. DiCarlo finished with two saves on the evening for the hosts, who played their starting 11 for all but four minutes of the game, using one substitute.

                  Vassar will look to jump back into the win column next Wednesday as it returns to Weinberg Field for a non-conference battle with Western Connecticut State University at 7 p.m. under the lights.